John Ward

Summary:

John Ward is an exceptional elementary school located in Newton Centre, MA, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade. With a student population of 194, the school consistently outperforms the state and district averages in academic assessments, placing it among the top 3% of Massachusetts elementary schools.

John Ward's academic performance is particularly impressive, with 66.07% of all students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 63.6% in the Newton district and 39.17% statewide. In Mathematics, 75% of all students at John Ward were proficient or better, significantly higher than the district's 67.14% and the state's 40.91%. The school's exceptional performance extends across different student subgroups, including special education students, who rank 21st out of 905 Massachusetts elementary schools.

While the nearby schools in the Newton district, such as Lincoln-Eliot, Underwood, Cabot, and Mason-Rice, also demonstrate strong academic performance, John Ward consistently outperforms them in both English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments. This exceptional academic excellence, combined with the school's focus on maintaining small class sizes, makes John Ward a standout institution in the region.


Detail:

Public K-5

 10 Dolphin Rd
       Newton Centre, MA  02459


(617) 559-6450

District: Newton

SchoolDigger Rank:
111th of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,856 Help


Students who attend John Ward usually attend:

Middle:    Bigelow Middle
High:    Newton North High

Student/teacher ratio:  9.6 Help
Number of students:  194

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.1%
Asian:
14.4%
Two or more races:
8.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  8.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details John Ward ranks better than 87.9% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks 8th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Newton School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.61. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details John Ward has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Newton School District. Racial makeup is: White (70.1%), Asian (14.4%), two or more races (8.2%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at John Ward is 9.6, which is the lowest among 15 elementary schools in the Newton School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare John Ward employs 20.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at John Ward is $21,856, which is the 6th highest among 15 elementary schools in the Newton School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

John Ward:

SchoolDigger ranks John Ward 111th of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See John Ward in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Newton:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton 35th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for John Ward.

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Rank History for John Ward

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Compare

Rank History for all students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 88.25 59th 884 93.3%
2004 89.86 48th 882 94.6%
2005 92.21 26th 887 97.1%
2006 94.12 7th 911 99.2%
2007 94.90 2nd 911 99.8%
2008 94.25 7th 908 99.2%
2009 91.68 27th 909 97.0%
2010 88.45 62nd 920 93.3%
2011 92.73 14th 924 98.5%
2012 95.51 2nd 930 99.8%
2013 94.95 3rd 928 99.7%
2014 94.60 5th 926 99.5%
2015 95.93 3rd 914 99.7%
2016 91.32 34th 932 96.4%
2017 86.10 96th 938 89.8%
2018 91.89 37th 934 96.0%
2019 84.83 117th 942 87.6%
2021 94.03 26th 936 97.2%
2022 94.35 25th 932 97.3%
2023 92.48 53rd 928 94.3%
2024 86.61 111th 916 87.9%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.23 91st 886 89.7%
2019 61.28 281st 896 68.6%
2021 88.68 54th 894 94.0%
2022 94.37 21st 905 97.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.92 43rd 893 95.2%
2019 80.65 145th 902 83.9%
2021 95.01 13th 898 98.6%
2022 94.08 21st 901 97.7%
2023 91.25 45th 887 94.9%
2024 87.42 85th 886 90.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.74 108th 656 83.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.68 44th 898 95.1%
2019 86.51 94th 907 89.6%
2021 88.58 82nd 904 90.9%
2022 92.24 43rd 908 95.3%
2023 89.92 66th 896 92.6%
2024 83.51 130th 891 85.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 93.67 27th 925 97.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for White students at John Ward

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.16 49th 772 93.7%
2019 79.22 119th 780 84.7%
2021 90.54 27th 765 96.5%
2022 86.95 58th 764 92.4%
2023 87.31 62nd 762 91.9%
2024 78.95 124th 753 83.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

John Ward Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)
75%

0%

25%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, April 7, 2017

Open Quote Overall our teachers have been very good. Unfortunately the principal is completely checked out, and has been for years. She doesn't know the names of many of the kids, not to mention the parents. When you approach her with a problem, she states that the school "already has it under control" and then no action is taken. There has been a bullying issue in one grade for a number of years and she has basically turned a blind eye to it. Our family would have a much more favorable view of Ward Elementary if we had an engaged principal who cultivated a sense of community. Close Quote


by a citizen
Friday, November 13, 2015

Open Quote Yes,
The happiest years of my life were spent as a student at John Ward School.
The only drawback was that we had really nasty lunch attendants.
I still have a baseball book from 1975 that I never returned.
Also Mr. Walsh, our gym teacher, was straight out of the Marine Corps.
He didn't like me because I was a child hippie.
It was the seventies. Close Quote


by a citizen
Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Open Quote I love this school so much. Almost all my childhood memories are there. The teachers are awsome, kind, and exraordinary, the neighbor hood is kind and safe, and not to mention it's next to a golf course. If any kid asks me which school I recomend, I would say ward school with no hesitation. It was the greatest experience of my life, it was and probably will be the best 6 semesters of my life. Close Quote



Enrollment information for John Ward

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 273 19 18 15 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1989 299 19 16 20 0 n/a n/a 0 354
1990 283 18 23 27 0 n/a n/a 0 351
1991 303 28 28 13 0 n/a n/a 0 372
1992 285 28 33 32 0 n/a n/a 0 378
1993 311 25 28 22 0 n/a n/a 0 386
1994 256 19 23 32 0 n/a n/a 0 330
1995 290 30 21 25 0 n/a n/a 0 366
1996 290 30 21 25 0 n/a n/a 0 366
1997 290 15 31 24 0 n/a n/a 0 360
1998 279 13 29 14 0 n/a n/a 0 335
1999 267 13 26 13 0 n/a n/a 0 319
2000 286 14 29 14 0 n/a n/a 0 343
2001 276 12 29 8 0 n/a n/a 0 325
2002 233 11 32 5 0 n/a n/a 0 281
2003 233 11 32 5 0 n/a n/a 0 281
2004 223 10 31 8 2 n/a n/a 0 274
2005 210 7 36 7 2 n/a n/a 0 262
2006 191 7 31 17 0 n/a n/a 16 262
2007 186 5 25 8 0 n/a n/a 13 237
2008 198 3 26 8 0 n/a n/a 12 247
2009 201 7 30 10 1 0 11 0 260
2010 200 7 29 12 2 0 10 0 260
2011 208 7 25 15 2 0 12 0 269
2012 214 6 31 12 2 0 13 0 278
2013 227 5 35 15 2 0 17 0 301
2014 217 8 33 14 2 0 15 0 289
2015 222 8 38 15 1 0 20 0 304
2016 217 10 40 15 0 0 22 0 304
2017 221 10 48 10 0 0 23 0 312
2018 226 8 38 12 0 0 25 0 309
2019 222 7 38 9 0 0 20 0 296
2020 191 6 32 11 0 0 15 0 255
2021 164 5 27 7 0 0 13 0 216
2022 157 6 25 9 0 0 16 0 213
2023 136 3 28 11 0 0 16 0 194

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at John Ward

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 325 n/a n/a n/a
1989 354 n/a n/a n/a
1990 351 n/a n/a n/a
1991 372 n/a n/a n/a
1992 378 n/a n/a n/a
1993 386 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 330 n/a n/a n/a
1995 366 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 366 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 360 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 335 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 319 n/a 0.0 5
2000 343 n/a 0.0 2.3
2001 325 n/a 0.0 3.1
2002 281 n/a n/a 1.4
2003 281 n/a n/a 1.4
2004 274 23.0 11.9 1.8
2005 262 20.2 13.0 2.7
2006 262 19.7 13.3 2
2007 237 19.0 12.5 3.6
2008 247 18.8 13.1 2.1
2009 260 17.8 14.6 2.7
2010 260 19.2 13.5 4.6
2011 269 14.3 18.6 3.3
2012 278 13.6 20.3 5
2013 301 19.2 15.6 4
2014 289 20.3 14.2 5.5
2015 304 22.0 13.8 8.6
2016 304 24.0 12.6 n/a
2017 312 22.5 13.8 n/a
2018 309 24.0 12.8 n/a
2019 296 23.8 12.4 n/a
2020 255 22.6 11.2 n/a
2021 216 16.2 13.3 n/a
2022 213 21.8 9.7 n/a
2023 194 20.1 9.6 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio John Ward

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 325 n/a n/a n/a
1989 354 n/a n/a n/a
1990 351 n/a n/a n/a
1991 372 n/a n/a n/a
1992 378 n/a n/a n/a
1993 386 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 330 n/a n/a n/a
1995 366 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 366 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 360 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 335 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 319 n/a 0.0 5
2000 343 n/a 0.0 2.3
2001 325 n/a 0.0 3.1
2002 281 n/a n/a 1.4
2003 281 n/a n/a 1.4
2004 274 23.0 11.9 1.8
2005 262 20.2 13.0 2.7
2006 262 19.7 13.3 2
2007 237 19.0 12.5 3.6
2008 247 18.8 13.1 2.1
2009 260 17.8 14.6 2.7
2010 260 19.2 13.5 4.6
2011 269 14.3 18.6 3.3
2012 278 13.6 20.3 5
2013 301 19.2 15.6 4
2014 289 20.3 14.2 5.5
2015 304 22.0 13.8 8.6
2016 304 24.0 12.6 n/a
2017 312 22.5 13.8 n/a
2018 309 24.0 12.8 n/a
2019 296 23.8 12.4 n/a
2020 255 22.6 11.2 n/a
2021 216 16.2 13.3 n/a
2022 213 21.8 9.7 n/a
2023 194 20.1 9.6 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for John Ward

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $784 (4.2%) $17,731 (95.8%) $18,516
2020 $638 (3.2%) $19,424 (96.8%) $20,062
2021 $1,446 (6.6%) $20,410 (93.4%) $21,856

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on John Ward

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 117th of 942 Elementary schoolsRanks 53rd of 928 Elementary schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (John Ward)9585.3
 9.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Newton)7764.4
 12.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5643.9
 12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (John Ward)10085.3
 14.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Newton)7061.7
 8.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4941
 8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (John Ward)8467.5
 16.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Newton)7261.1
 10.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5239.7
 12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (John Ward)8965
 24%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Newton)6968.6
 0.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4945
 4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (John Ward)6176.9
 15.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Newton)7365.2
 7.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5243.8
 8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (John Ward)6861.5
 6.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Newton)7065
 5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.9
 8.2%
5th Grade Science (John Ward)5484.6
 30.6%
   5th Grade Science (Newton)6363
 0%
   5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4841.6
 6.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (John Ward)7976
 3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Newton)7366
 7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (John Ward)8571
 14%
   All Grades Mathematics (Newton)7367.8
 5.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (John Ward)5484.6
 30.6%
   All Grades Science (Newton)6664.2
 1.8%
   All Grades Science (Massachusetts)4741.2
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students296194
 34.5%
African American73
 57.1%
American Indian00
Asian3828
 26.3%
Hispanic911
 22.2%
Pacific Islander00
White222136
 38.7%
Two or More Races2016
 20%


Schools Near John Ward









Frequently Asked Questions about John Ward

In the 2022-23 school year, 194 students attended John Ward.

Students who attend John Ward usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bigelow Middle
High : Newton North High

Students at John Ward are 70% White, 14% Asian, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% African American.

John Ward ranks 111th of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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